DUBAI: An evening spent shopping at one of the malls in the city might seem like a normal day for most of us, but for a group of Syrian refugee children this was a dream come true last week.
In a first of its kind CSR activity, Dubai Outlet Mall in partnership with Emirates Red Crescent brought 48 young boys and girls to the shopping centre, allowing them to pick anything they liked. The group had 12 boys and 36 girls with youngest child being 6 and the oldest 15.
Shopping list
The evening began with a treat at McDonalds followed by a four-hour shopping spree at 11 participating stores. The brands included Sacoor Women & Kids, Babyshop, Pynkiss Milano, Guess, Kids Puzzle, Original Marines, Chuck E. Cheese’s, Carters, Solomon & Wilson, Mc Donald’s and The Happy Place.
The children couldn’t stop smiling and some of them had their shopping lists ready. “I want earrings and red shoes,” said Leen, 6, who lost her parents in Aleppo earlier this year.
Ahmad, 8, who stays with his parents at Red Crescent Home in Ajman, said he was looking forward to picking new clothes for Eid. “I don’t want toys. I want a perfume and black pants for myself and a T-shirt for my younger brother,” he said.
Hannan, 10, who stays with her parents in Sharjah, wanted a watch. “My neighbour has a blue watch, I want the same one,” she said.
Speaking about the idea behind the gesture, Mohammad Khammas, CEO, Al Ahli Holding Group which owns the mall, said, “Just before Eid, parents take their children shopping. They buy them whatever they like. We wanted to give these kids an experience of that feeling.”
According to the Emirates Red Crescent authorities, it’s the first time such an initiative has seen light. “They (children) have been asking us so many questions about ‘shopping day’. They receive a lot of things all year round, but this is something they will never forget.
They finally have a chance to pick what they like,” said Fatima Ogha, 25, a volunteer at Emirates Red Crescent.
